{"50806":{"#nid":"50806","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Arthritis Simulation Gloves Aid Design of Easy-to-Use Products","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs the U.S. population ages, manufacturers of consumer goods are realizing that many customers may not be as nimble-fingered or sharp-sighted as they once were. To help product designers and engineers address those changing requirements, researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) have been developing evaluation methods and design techniques to identify and address the needs of all consumers, including those with functional limitations. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EGTRI\u2019s latest product is a pair of arthritis simulation gloves, which reproduce the reduction in functional capacity experienced by persons with arthritis. The gloves help those responsible for consumer products better understand how arthritis affects a person\u2019s ability to grasp, pinch, turn, lift and twist objects. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA product manager or designer can put these gloves on and attempt to open their company\u2019s products or packaging,\u201d explained GTRI principal research scientist Brad Fain. \u201cIf they are unable to open a product or package, then chances are high that people with moderate to severe symptoms of arthritis will also have difficulty opening it.\u201d\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe gloves can be used with a variety of consumer products, including medicine bottles, beverage containers, office supplies, medical devices, vehicles, cell phones and many other consumer products. They can also be used with many different types of packaging, including clamshell packages, cardboard boxes, cereal containers and foil packages. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThree companies, including Kraft Foods, are currently using the gloves in-house.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMaxwell House always keeps our consumers\u2019 needs in mind when designing packaging,\u201d said Linda Roman, senior group leader for packaging strategic research at Kraft Foods. \u201cFor example, we used the gloves created by the Georgia Tech Research Institute to verify that the lid on our new instant coffee jar is accessible for those who have difficulty opening jars with regular caps. The gloves helped us evaluate the EZ Grip lid to be sure that our lid is, in fact, easy for our consumers to use.\u201d\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe gloves were designed to reduce a wearer\u2019s functional ability to grasp something and either pull or rotate it by 33-50 percent. They also stiffen an individual\u2019s finger joints and restrict the range of motion of his or her fingers. To create the finger stiffness and reduced finger strength experienced by individuals with arthritis, the gloves were designed with metal wires between layers of neoprene and other fabrics. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to identifying ease of use issues with products, the gloves are also intended to raise awareness about issues faced by people with disabilities and to support programs focused on ease of use in design. Currently, the Arthritis Foundation in the United States and Arthritis Australia are using the gloves for such educational purposes.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe gloves can be purchased alone, or as part of GTRI\u2019s disability awareness kit, which also includes a low-vision simulation kit, a finger strength simulation kit and a CD training program. The finger strength simulation kit consists of finger exercises that are calibrated to certain amounts of force recommended for packaging and the training program teaches individuals how to use the gloves. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe low-vision simulation kit contains a pair of glasses that simulate common visual disabilities, including various degrees of cataracts, visual acuity problems, contrast sensitivity issues and age-related macular degeneration.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA product manager can put the glasses on and observe products to see if he or she can read important things written in small print, like instructions or an expiration date,\u201d added Fain.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the future, many baby boomers will likely demand the same access to products that they currently have -- even as their functional abilities decline.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese older individuals will attribute any inability to open or use a product with deficiencies in the product itself,\u201d added Fain. \u201cThat message or perception can be detrimental to companies because they want to avoid being associated with a product that\u2019s difficult to use. The arthritis simulation gloves and the rest of the items in the disability awareness kit can help companies avoid these design mistakes.\u201d \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe gloves were created through funding by GTRI\u2019s independent research and development program. To purchase the arthritis simulation gloves or the disability awareness kit, please visit: \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/facilities\/aef\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/facilities\/aef.\u003C\/a\u003E \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\n\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Vogel (avogel@gatech.edu; 404-385-3364); Kirk Englehardt (kirk.englehardt@gtri.gatech.edu; 404-407-7280); or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986).\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Vogel\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"Researchers have designed arthritis simulation gloves that reproduce the reduction in functional capacity experienced by those with arthritis. The gloves help consumer product designers realize how arthritis affects one\u2019s ability to open and use products.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Arthritis simulation gloves help consumer product designers"}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2010-02-03 01:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:04:16","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-02-03T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2010-02-03T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"50807":{"id":"50807","type":"image","title":"Brad Fain arthritis simulation gloves","body":null,"created":"1449175437","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:43:57","changed":"1475894471","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:41:11","alt":"Brad Fain arthritis simulation gloves","file":{"fid":"144678","name":"tra07123.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tra07123_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tra07123_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1366640,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tra07123_0.jpg?itok=KhGRQkNO"}},"50808":{"id":"50808","type":"image","title":"Kraft Foods Maxwell House jar arthritis simulation","body":null,"created":"1449175437","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:43:57","changed":"1475894471","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:41:11","alt":"Kraft Foods Maxwell House jar arthritis simulation","file":{"fid":"144679","name":"ttf08227.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ttf08227_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ttf08227_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":894191,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ttf08227_0.jpg?itok=tTSRDPyU"}},"50809":{"id":"50809","type":"image","title":"Brad Fain arthritis simulation gloves medicine bot","body":null,"created":"1449175437","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:43:57","changed":"1475894471","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:41:11","alt":"Brad Fain arthritis simulation gloves medicine bot","file":{"fid":"144680","name":"tlz07123.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tlz07123_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tlz07123_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":856414,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tlz07123_0.jpg?itok=EjUXXUpR"}}},"media_ids":["50807","50808","50809"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/facilities\/aef","title":"Arthritis Simulation Gloves\/Disability Awareness Kit"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/","title":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2097","name":"arthritis"},{"id":"4256","name":"awareness"},{"id":"7075","name":"container"},{"id":"823","name":"design"},{"id":"359","name":"disability"},{"id":"8382","name":"Glove"},{"id":"8385","name":"Kraft"},{"id":"8386","name":"maxwell house"},{"id":"4187","name":"packaging"},{"id":"8384","name":"product design"},{"id":"8383","name":"Product Development"},{"id":"167045","name":"simulation"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Vogel\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Vogel\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["avogel@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}